T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
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to serve and saved th a t we may become saviors. These men imm ediately began to fish for men. Andrew b rough t P eter and John brought James. We m ust go to Christ for our equipment. Every qualification comes from Him. “I will make you.” “Not by m ight, nor by pow er, bu t by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Zech. 4:6. THURSDAY, Dec. 25. Luke 2:1-20. The Babe Of Bethlehem . God moved the Roman Emperor to issue th e decree for th e enrollm ent and taxation of th e world in order th a t Mary the virgin m other m ight be in Bethlehem , the city of David, when Je sus was born, th a t th e Scripture m ight be fulfilled. Micah 5:2. By Him kings ru le and princes decree justice. Never theless it was not to th e occupants of a royal palace b u t to humble shepherds th a t th e announcem ent of Messiah’s b irth first came. The angel first an nounced th e favorable n atu re of his message for anything of th e sup ern atu ral always inspires men w ith fear. The title Saviour in connection w ith joy, vs. 10, expresses th e pity fe lt in Heaven at the m iserable state of mankind. The title Christ refers to the prophecies th a t announce His coming. The title Lord makes Him the representative of Divine sovereignty. There m ight have been other children born th a t n igh t in Beth lehem bu t surely no other one would have a manger for its cradle. FRIDAY, Dec. 26. M ark 14:22-33. P e te r In The School Of Christ. Those who accept Christ and yield th e ir lives to His control are called in the New Testament, disciples. A disci ple is a learner, one who m atriculates in the school of Christ bu t never g radu ates. He learns the lower grades of earth ly instruction only to en ter the high school of Heaven. The g reat Teach er never rejects an application. An earth ly teacher can only deal w ith a
manifested, heard, seen, gazed upon and handled. While th e Greeks were feeling a fte r God in the dark, Acts 17:27, John handled His m anifestation in th e light. This includes th e experiences before and afte r the resurrection. The New Testam ent gives the testim ony of twelve honest, ea rn est men who bear w itness ag ain st every inducement to th e con trary , to what they saw, heard and touched, E tern al Life organized and ob jectified in flesh and blood. This life expresses the thought, will and h eart of God. Deity had been invisible during th e ages of the past un til th e Living Word made an exegesis of Him. John 1:18. TUESDAY, Dec. 23. Jo h n 1:29-42. John And P e te r Become Disciples. John was brought to Christ through th e agency of John th e B aptist and P e te r came th rough th e personal w ork of his brother, Andrew. This is a strong inducement and encouragem ent to en gage in personal work. When Christ is made the them e of our conversation, some who h ear us speak to Him, may become His followers. When Christ is exalted and in all things given pre-em i nence, certain resu lts are inevitable, and among them is the salvation of sinners. A revival concerns God’s people alone. Saints can be re-vived b u t sin ners must be vived. The conversion of th e unsaved is a by-product and result of a revival. WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24. M ark 1:14-20. F ish ers Of Men. The way of Christ is not to destroy b u t to transform . These early disciples were fishermen, Jesus said, “ Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The qualities of alertness and hardihood which th e ir calling had developed, could now he tu rn ed to higher and b etter uses. “ Henceforth ye shall catch men.” We should all be doing th a t. We are saved
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